1Department of Child Educare, Woosong Information College 2Department of Early Childhood Education, Hoseo University
Corresponding Author:
Songyon Cho ,Tel: +82-41-560-8133, Fax: +82-41-560-8101, Email: sycho@hoseo.edu
Received: October 4, 2012; Revised: October 17, 2012 Accepted: November 17, 2012.
ABSTRACT
This research has an objective of investigating the challenges that student teachers encounter during practicum, the difference between teachers’ image based on sociodemographic variables, recognition and satisfaction for practicum, and the effect of teachers’ image and practicum experience on the satisfaction for the practicum. The participants of this study included 500 student teachers who enrolled in the department of early childhood education in a 2 or 3-year college or a 4-year university and completed practicum in the Chungcheong area. The instruments for this study were Teacher’s Image Scale, Practicum Experience Scale, Practicum Satisfaction Scale and a questionnaire for sociodemographic variables. The results were as follows: First, the highest level of teachers’ image was obtained for student teachers enrolled in a 2-year college, completed practicum in large cities and finished practicum at an institution with a size of 3-6 classes. Also, the highest level of ‘recognition for practicum’ of student teachers was observed when they were instructed by a guidance teacher with a degree from a graduate school and with a first degree certification in public kindergarten. Second, the satisfaction for practicum of student teachers was mostly affected by‘ the atmosphere of the practice institutions’, while personality affected the teachers’ image.